Editorial

I recently performed a PubMed search for hospitalists, which returned 561 citations, yet a second search for pediatric hospitalists produced only 37 citations. Growing up in Boston as a sports fan, my memories are filled with images that parallel these findings. One particularly vivid memory is of a Patriots game years ago. During that game, a very dynamic member of the opposing team was caught on camera picking up a phone on the sideline and telling the caller to call out the National Guard because we are killing the Patriots.

Now, pediatric hospital medicine is hardly being killed, and admittedly there were several methodological flaws in how I collected my data. However, this gap in number of publications must shrink if pediatric hospital medicine is to thrive. Like both hospital medicine and emergency medicine before it, pediatric hospital medicine must demonstrate what makes the field distinct and unique if is to be truly recognized as a medical subspecialty. The surest way to succeed in this endeavor is through the dissemination of information via peer‐reviewed journals such as the Journal of Hospital Medicine, potentially an ideal home for us.

It is important to note that dissemination of information is not limited to publication of original research. Pediatric hospital medicine is primarily a clinical field, and as such, practitioners may be spending 80%‐90% of their time (or more) caring for patients. This obviously does not leave much time for other academic pursuits. That being said, sharing many kinds of information can promote excellence in the care of hospitalized pediatric patients. Here are some types of articles that may prove useful.

• Writing that integrates, rather than discovers, new knowledge

• Review articles addressing the diagnosis and treatment of clinical conditions

• Illustrative case reports or series drawn from clinical practice

• Descriptions of best practice

• QI/QA programs

• Patient safety initiatives

• Use of decision support or other information technology tools

• Strategies to maintain physician wellness and career longevity

• Creation of educational curricula or competency assessment methods

• Leadership and professional development

This suggestion to share information of many types is not meant to downplay the importance of original research. As pediatric hospital medicine grows, its research component must grow as well in order to continually define and redefine the field itself, especially with regard to collaborative studies. In the future, it will no longer be acceptable for pediatric hospital programs to be practicing in isolation, without regard for nationally recognized and published benchmarks or other measures of quality. However, I believe that it is equally important for individuals to have outlets for these other forms of scholarship. Both the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Journal of Hospital Medicine are committed to the growth and development of pediatric hospital medicine. We encourage pediatric hospitalists to submit manuscripts and to become reviewers. You can do both at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jhm.

I recently performed a PubMed search for hospitalists, which returned 561 citations, yet a second search for pediatric hospitalists produced only 37 citations. Growing up in Boston as a sports fan, my memories are filled with images that parallel these findings. One particularly vivid memory is of a Patriots game years ago. During that game, a very dynamic member of the opposing team was caught on camera picking up a phone on the sideline and telling the caller to call out the National Guard because we are killing the Patriots.

Now, pediatric hospital medicine is hardly being killed, and admittedly there were several methodological flaws in how I collected my data. However, this gap in number of publications must shrink if pediatric hospital medicine is to thrive. Like both hospital medicine and emergency medicine before it, pediatric hospital medicine must demonstrate what makes the field distinct and unique if is to be truly recognized as a medical subspecialty. The surest way to succeed in this endeavor is through the dissemination of information via peer‐reviewed journals such as the Journal of Hospital Medicine, potentially an ideal home for us.

It is important to note that dissemination of information is not limited to publication of original research. Pediatric hospital medicine is primarily a clinical field, and as such, practitioners may be spending 80%‐90% of their time (or more) caring for patients. This obviously does not leave much time for other academic pursuits. That being said, sharing many kinds of information can promote excellence in the care of hospitalized pediatric patients. Here are some types of articles that may prove useful.

• Writing that integrates, rather than discovers, new knowledge

• Review articles addressing the diagnosis and treatment of clinical conditions

• Illustrative case reports or series drawn from clinical practice

• Descriptions of best practice

• QI/QA programs

• Patient safety initiatives

• Use of decision support or other information technology tools

• Strategies to maintain physician wellness and career longevity

• Creation of educational curricula or competency assessment methods

• Leadership and professional development

This suggestion to share information of many types is not meant to downplay the importance of original research. As pediatric hospital medicine grows, its research component must grow as well in order to continually define and redefine the field itself, especially with regard to collaborative studies. In the future, it will no longer be acceptable for pediatric hospital programs to be practicing in isolation, without regard for nationally recognized and published benchmarks or other measures of quality. However, I believe that it is equally important for individuals to have outlets for these other forms of scholarship. Both the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Journal of Hospital Medicine are committed to the growth and development of pediatric hospital medicine. We encourage pediatric hospitalists to submit manuscripts and to become reviewers. You can do both at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jhm.

I recently performed a PubMed search for hospitalists, which returned 561 citations, yet a second search for pediatric hospitalists produced only 37 citations. Growing up in Boston as a sports fan, my memories are filled with images that parallel these findings. One particularly vivid memory is of a Patriots game years ago. During that game, a very dynamic member of the opposing team was caught on camera picking up a phone on the sideline and telling the caller to call out the National Guard because we are killing the Patriots.

Now, pediatric hospital medicine is hardly being killed, and admittedly there were several methodological flaws in how I collected my data. However, this gap in number of publications must shrink if pediatric hospital medicine is to thrive. Like both hospital medicine and emergency medicine before it, pediatric hospital medicine must demonstrate what makes the field distinct and unique if is to be truly recognized as a medical subspecialty. The surest way to succeed in this endeavor is through the dissemination of information via peer‐reviewed journals such as the Journal of Hospital Medicine, potentially an ideal home for us.

It is important to note that dissemination of information is not limited to publication of original research. Pediatric hospital medicine is primarily a clinical field, and as such, practitioners may be spending 80%‐90% of their time (or more) caring for patients. This obviously does not leave much time for other academic pursuits. That being said, sharing many kinds of information can promote excellence in the care of hospitalized pediatric patients. Here are some types of articles that may prove useful.

• Writing that integrates, rather than discovers, new knowledge

• Review articles addressing the diagnosis and treatment of clinical conditions

• Illustrative case reports or series drawn from clinical practice

• Descriptions of best practice

• QI/QA programs

• Patient safety initiatives

• Use of decision support or other information technology tools

• Strategies to maintain physician wellness and career longevity

• Creation of educational curricula or competency assessment methods

• Leadership and professional development

This suggestion to share information of many types is not meant to downplay the importance of original research. As pediatric hospital medicine grows, its research component must grow as well in order to continually define and redefine the field itself, especially with regard to collaborative studies. In the future, it will no longer be acceptable for pediatric hospital programs to be practicing in isolation, without regard for nationally recognized and published benchmarks or other measures of quality. However, I believe that it is equally important for individuals to have outlets for these other forms of scholarship. Both the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Journal of Hospital Medicine are committed to the growth and development of pediatric hospital medicine. We encourage pediatric hospitalists to submit manuscripts and to become reviewers. You can do both at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jhm.